


The Merits of Spices

by LadyBrooke



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-27
Updated: 2013-11-27
Packaged: 2018-01-02 18:46:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1060271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finrod had imagined many ways that leaving Valinor would turn out to be a bad decision. </p>
<p>His brother-in-law deciding to introduce him to the wonders of dining in a new land had not been one of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Merits of Spices

**Author's Note:**

> Don't try sassafras without really reading about it first. Liver damage is not fun.
> 
> I choose to delude myself that the portions of Beleriand that sank actually floated away and formed the Americas and that before that the same spices that later grow in the Americas would grow there, just so I could write this story.
> 
> Written for fan-flashworks, prompt "Spicy".

“So this is…?” Finrod stared down at the cup Celeborn had handed him.

“Cocoa mixed with chili peppers. Círdan sends his sailors down the coast in search of the areas where they grow, so we can trade for it. It’s rather good, you should drink it. Especially since we have limited quantities of it available, and I’m giving it to you for some reason.” Celeborn turned away for a moment, only to grab another jug and set it on the table.

“What does it taste like?” Once, Finrod might have taken a drink without asking first. That had been before he had been introduced to wonders of Sindarin cooking.

“Spicy - though you have no idea what that is, your cooking is so bland. Sweet, at the same time. Just try it.”

Finrod took a drink, only to immediately rush for the basin and spit it out. “Why would you have me drink that?”

“Because you are going to be here for a while, and you need to adapt. Or you’re going to be eating that bread of yours for a lot longer.” Celeborn raised an eyebrow at his brother-in-law. “Galadriel has adapted to it.”

“She has always been the most capable of us.” Finrod returned to the table and sat down.

“Ready for the next?” Celeborn smirked

Finrod groaned and slumped against the table. “Do I even want to know what it is?”

“Perhaps not, though I think you might like it better. It’s a drink we make from sassafras. We originally imported it as well, except that after we acquired some seeds from a tree, we were able to grow it here.” Celeborn resumed his lecture. “It has been made into both a tea and an alcohol, and is sweeter than the last thing you tried.”

“Is it the last for today?” Finrod cut in.

“You’re never going to learn the merits of spices other than vanilla, are you? Yes, it is. Though I suppose I could always find some other ones for you to try…”

Finrod felt the urge to run far away from Celeborn, and back to where there were sane cooks.

In his opinion, the Sindar had been given far too long to try throwing random plants in their food and drinks.


End file.
